Brownie Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and dice into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp shortening, cold and diced into pieces
• 2 – 4 Tbsp ice water
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, optional
• Salted caramel sauce

Directions

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and shortening, then work them into the dry ingredients with a long-pronged fork until you have rough, crumbly pieces. Sprinkle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a rubber spatula and stopping as soon as the dough begins to clump; it does not need to form a smooth ball, but it should stay together when you press it. Turn the mixture out onto plastic wrap, gather and press it into a disk about 4 to 5-inch across, wrap it up, and chill it for 30 minutes. Flour your counter, unwrap the dough, and set it down on the floured surface. Dust the top with flour, then roll it into an even 12-inch circle, pinching any cracked edges back together as you go. Gently fold the dough in half, then in half again, move it to a 9-inch pie plate, set the point in the center, and open it out into the dish. Even up the edges, leaving about 1-inch of extra dough, then fold that overhang under itself and crimp however you like. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, then put the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes.
2. Lay two sheets of foil over the cold crust, with 1 going each direction, and fold the foil around the rim. Add pie weights or about 2 lbs of dry beans. Bake the crust in the heated oven for 20 minutes, then take it out and carefully lift away the foil and weights. Put the crust back in the oven for 5 minutes more. Let it cool all the way to room temperature.
3. For the filling, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Put 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH power in 30 second bursts, stirring after each one, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Stir in the canola oil and cocoa powder until everything is evenly combined. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Stir in the flour, then mix in the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
4. Scatter the pecans evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the filling over them and spread it level. Bake in the heated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a little batter on it, about 40 minutes. Let the pie cool at room temperature about 1 1/2 hours, until it is still slightly warm, then slice and serve with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream, or salted caramel sauce.